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I can't help but feel as though, in the context of that awareness and representation, some of the older attitudes around Twin-Faced Hero are a bit outdated, or at least awkward. Honestly, I feel as though the place of the power in its original contexts were a bit awkward and ambiguous (is it about having an option for disguise without needing Heart's Blood? Introducing a characterisation point in which shapeshifting makes gender something aesthetic to be manipulated or ignored at will*, which requires spending XP and intricate mechanical representation?

So, threshold issue: Twin-Faced Hero is no longer a standalone Charm, it just ain't worth 8 XP. There's one Charm that lets you alter the cosmetic traits of your shapes, and that includes sexual characteristics.

The point of my lengthy pre-amble is to ask for any preliminary thoughts on what place (if any) the power might have in the upcoming book.

It's multi-purpose. It can be used by your master infiltrator types to assume cover identities that aren't a preexisting person. It can customize your true form to suit your gender identity (although of course, nonbinary and genderfluid people exist in the real world even without shapeshifting powers!). It does a lot.

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How much of a thematic gap will there between the Raksha and Dreamed-Soul, Raksha are probably gonna get a splatbook somewhere down eventually so I’m wondering how much of an overlap there will be with these optional exalts given since even discounting the connection between the Wyld, the ability to warp reality is also something that seems common between them. So how much of a diverge are you guys considering? Is it as far as the shared link of Underworld between Abyssals and Liminals but not much else or is it closer then that?

They're totally different things.

Also you have mentioned that the Hearteaters are corrupted Exalts from an age long past, I’m curious did their Incarnae share their fate or was it only something that happened to the Exaltions like it is with the Infernals and Abyssals?

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Are things (and people) made with Wyld-Shaping Technique fully "real" in 3e? 2e had that clause where Wyld-shaped stuff was at risk of fading away if it didn't interact with anything from Creation, and creatures were outside Creation's processes of life and death -- but I don't see anything like that in the 3e version of the Charm.

So do Wyld-shaped mortals (for example) in 3e interact with the cycle of reincarnation normally?

There's no reference to them being anything less than fully real in the Charm's text.

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Will it contain additional mutations to expand upon what's already in the core rule book?

A bunch.

Will Lunars need to buy the "speak in animal form" charm again, or will that be an intrinsic benefit similar to how hiding tattoos isn't supposed to cost a charm/knack now?

As an animal, your communication is limited to what that animal can do normally (like convincing your owner that you haven't been fed despite them giving you food five minutes ago in a cat's shape), which the core social influence system already covers. If you want to attain unlimited communication, you'll need a Charm.

Will there be any Martial Arts included in the books that are Lunar derived, and if so would they synergize at all with lunar essence like with dragonblooded's immaculate styles?

There's not anything equivalent to the degree of integration that Dragon-Blooded have with the Immaculate Dragon styles.

How will Lunars keep up with Solars and their Supernal abilities in mixed Solar/Lunar games, especially with there being a good chance of overlapping focuses (like combat or infiltration)?

How will Solars keep up with Lunars' ability to get easy access to flight, or huge Stealth bonuses from turning into rats or fleas?

As an animal, your communication is limited to what that animal can do normally (like convincing your owner that you haven't been fed despite them giving you food five minutes ago in a cat's shape), which the core social influence system already covers. If you want to attain unlimited communication, you'll need a Charm.

Oh, that's a bit disappointing. It feels like everyone has to take the "speak in animal forms" charm, at least in my experience.

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So, threshold issue: Twin-Faced Hero is no longer a standalone Charm, it just ain't worth 8 XP. There's one Charm that lets you alter the cosmetic traits of your shapes, and that includes sexual characteristics.

That sounds sensible.

Originally posted by Robert Vance

It can customize your true form to suit your gender identity [...] It does a lot.

Can it make any alterations to your original form permanent, or limited to certain key identity signifiers, or is it simply an Instant Charm?

Originally posted by Robert Vance

(although of course, nonbinary and genderfluid people exist in the real world even without shapeshifting powers!).

Heck, I'd presume that there are also non-binary and genderfluid Lunars who wouldn't have a need to be themselves through the use of their powers, but that leads off into questions that are probably outside the scope of this thread.

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Also wanted to ask how comparable in effect can Lunar players expect their charms to measure up to the Solar charms that have similar or overlapping effects?

When it's something that's the exact same function, Lunars just get the same thing—for instance, they get Graceful Crane Stance, not a Crane-With-Decent-Posture Stance that costs more, or has a shorter duration.

When it comes to things that are similar but not identical, Lunar Charms tend to be pretty close to Solar Charms for the meat-and-potatoes effects, but never reach the absurd heights of power that some Solar capstone Charms have, like God-King's Shrike or Eye of the Unconquered Sun.

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How exactly does Anima Flux affect a Dragon-blood's mount? They don't really have initiative tracks to damage.

If a mount's not significant enough to be rolled into combat on its own, it's not worth tracking anima flux for it in combat, beyond cosmetically.

The Storyteller could theoretically have a noncombatant mount roll Join Battle to establish a special Initiative pool for the sole purpose of getting worn down by anima flux and eventually taking decisive damage but...that's a whole lot of bookkeeping that does very little to actually make the game fun.

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When it's something that's the exact same function, Lunars just get the same thing—for instance, they get Graceful Crane Stance, not a Crane-With-Decent-Posture Stance that costs more, or has a shorter duration.

When it comes to things that are similar but not identical, Lunar Charms tend to be pretty close to Solar Charms for the meat-and-potatoes effects, but never reach the absurd heights of power that some Solar capstone Charms have, like God-King's Shrike or Eye of the Unconquered Sun.

Base effects being comparable is good to hear. What might Lunar mid-to-capstone tier charms look like compared to Solar ones, other than "less absurd"? Will they have any advantages that the solar versions might not generally have (Like being usable more often)?

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Base effects being comparable is good to hear. What might Lunar mid-to-capstone tier charms look like compared to Solar ones, other than "less absurd"? Will they have any advantages that the solar versions might not generally have (Like being usable more often)?

The biggest advantage Lunar Charms have over Solar Charms is that they can be used in conjunction with animal abilities/merits gained through shapeshifting, and can even get a boost for doing so through Protean.